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Moss following doctor’s orders

The Gold Coast United custodian has been consigned to the sidelines since tearing his adductor in the 3-0 win over Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium, and is due to meet with the surgeon who skilfully carried out the operation in the coming days.

Moss is naturally hoping to hear that everything is on course and going to plan after strictly adhering to the doctor’s post-op orders.

“The operation went really well and the surgeon spoke to me once I’d come around and woken up. He said I’d made a pretty good job of it with a fair bit coming off the bone, which is pretty serious obviously,” Moss said.

“Right after the surgery it was pretty much four weeks of doing nothing so the initial scar tissue could heal. I’m seeing the surgeon this week to see where I’m at with it and hopefully it will be good news.”

Two and a half centimetres of the New Zealand international’s groin muscle was torn from the bone and has since been reattached using the latest surgical technology. While most of us would cower behind a cushion at the very thought of suffering such an injury, Moss says at the time the pain level was lower than expected, especially considering the dramatic damage he had just done to his body. However, all that changed post-surgery!

“At the time of the injury itself there was just a popping sound and no real sharp pain or anything like that – it was strange and not like I imagine breaking a bone would feel,” he said.

“It was sore of course, but more of an uncomfortable feeling than anything else. Your brain tells your leg to move, but because the muscle has come away it can’t. It’s hard to describe; I couldn’t move it forward, lift it or anything and just hobbled off under my own weight really.

“After the surgery was a different matter though. When I woke up the pain was excruciating and that was certainly the worst of it. It felt like someone had stuck a hundred knives in my groin.

“I didn’t ask too much about the surgical process before I went in because I was already a bit nervous and don’t even like the sight of needles to be honest.

“Afterwards I found out a little bit more about how the procedure is done, but still didn’t ask too much! I’m just thankful that the technology is there to be able to perform such radical surgery.”

Filling the time voids created by not being able to train and play is perhaps one of the greatest challenges to a player with a long-term injury. Daily routines are sent into meltdown and the normal dynamic of building up mentally and physically for match day is strangely absent.

Footballers are creatures of habit and Moss has tried to keep as much of his usual regime in place by coming to every training session to be part of the banter and pass on tips to his deputy Jerrad Tyson.

But along with the frustration of suffering a rare injury, Moss has also found a new appreciation for the game he loves now that it has temporarily been snatched from him.

“Up until now I’ve been so lucky with injuries throughout my career,” said Moss, who turns 29 this Thursday.

“I missed a handful of games last season with a rolled ankle, but that’s about it. I’ve had dislocated fingers and things like that but just battled through them.

“This has been a real eye opener for me in terms of having to watch from the sidelines and it does make you think about the game a lot.

“I really miss playing football and I appreciate it now more than ever. It’s made me think that maybe I’ve taken the game for granted a little bit. You don’t know what you’ve got until it isn’t there anymore.

“I’ve been coming to training every day to stay involved and keep to a routine I’m used to. It keeps my spirits up and I still feel a part of it, plus of course I’m there to pass on any advice to Jerrad or help out however I can.”